bittering agent

Definition of bittering agent

: an ingredient added to a substance to give it a bitter flavor
The Sumerians flavored their beer with honey, while Europeans flavored and preserved their beer with a bittering agent such as hops.— Bill Yenne, The American Brewery, 2003Some pesticide makers thought putting a bittering agent into the poisons would make rats less likely to eat the products …— Robert McClure, MSNBC.com, 22 Dec. 2010The vast majority of automotive antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, though some contains a bittering agent to eliminate the sweet taste.— Steven Cole Smith, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2011

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.